Plasterer&#39;s tool



Jan. 30, 1962 A, A LEVY 3,018,499

PLASTERERS TOOL Filed Feb. l0. 1958 Patented Jan. 3G, 1362 This invention relates to a plasterers tool or featheredge and/or browning rodand refers more particularly to such a tool wherein the featheredge and/or browning rod portions of the tool are removable for replacement or,

repair.

In the plastering trade, a featheredge is an elongate taper-edged construction for" working the plaster so as to effect straight and true corners and edges. A browning rod is a square-edged-device of the same general form,

employed for roughing in the preliminary plaster coats of heavier material prior ot the use ofthe featheredge. Conventionally two elongate tools have been employed, one as a featheredge, the other as a browning rod with one elongate edge of one device tapered for the featheredge and one elongate edge of the second device. squared off for the browning rod. The original conventionalk featheredge or browning rod constructions comprised a piece of lumber from live to six feet long, approximately six inches wide and an inch thick, one longitudinal edge thereof being beveledv to produce an acuate angle along the length thereof to provide the featheredge, the portion ofthe board rearward of the tapered edge providing both a gripping surface for the hands of the plasterer and a browning rod construction. Various metallic constructions have also been provided conventionally of the same overall form to perform the above described functions.

In the case of a wooden featheredge or browning rod construction, the tapered edge easily abrades away in continued use, thus destroying the accuracy desired. The wetting and drying to which the implement is exposed causes warpingor distortion of the board. Coatings of paint and the like do not solve these problems as abrasion in the plastering operation rapidly wears off any such coating. Wood featheredges are also of relatively great weight and take onwater which makes them even heavier.

While the metal conventional constructions of aluminum or magnesium alloys have provided'lighter weight featheredges and have both greater long-time accuracy and less tendency to warp or distort, nevertheless, these conventional constructions still possess many disadvantages. For example, to achieve both the desired size and lightness, conventional featheredges are formed as hollow tubes of metal configured exteriorly to the desired form. If the featheredge or any portion of the construction becomes worn, warped or damaged, the entire construction must either be discarded or repaired as a unit. Sealing of the conventional featheredges of metal construction is not satisfactory and plaster and water, as well as other materials tend to get into the construction, require cleaning thereof, increase the weight thereof and tend to deteriorate the structures. No modications are possible as to form in the conventional featheredges.

Therefore, an object of thegpresent invention is to provide a, metal featheredgeV and/ or browning rod construction which is of extremely precise and accurate construction and which has aminimum tendency to warp or distort.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a featheredge land/or browning rod construction which may be completely sealed at the ends thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a featheredge and/ or browning rod constructionjwherein the portions of the construction making up the operating edges may be varied` as desired to provide either a double featheredge, a double browning rod or a combined browning rod and featheredge construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a featheredge and/ or browning rod construction wherein all parts of the construction are readily accessible for repair 0r replacement in a minimum of time and with a maximum of convenience.

Another object of the invention is to provide a featheredge and/ or browning rod construction, the parts of which may be produced by extrusion, wherein the extrusion dies will be of a minimum cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a featheredge and/or browning rod of great versatility, attractive appearance and greater accuracy than any previously known like construction.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description thereof.

In the drawings, which form a part of the instant invention and are to be read in conjunction therewith, an embodiment of the invention is shown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the inventive construction made up as a combined featheredge and browning rod with a portion cut away to better illustrate the structure.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the lines 2--2l of FIG. l in the direction of the arrows. i

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View of a iirst modification of the inventive construction made up as a double browning rod.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second modification of the inventive construction made up as a double featheredge.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away perspective view of the irst form of the inventive construction.

Referring to the drawings, at 10 is shown one side face of a rigid elongate rib of substantially rectangular form in overall cross section and having the sides 10 and 11 of greater width extending substantially parallel one with the other. Pairs of elongate channels or grooves 12 and 13 are formed in the faces 10 and 11 of each side and extend parallel to one another longitudinally of the rib. Channels 12 and 13 widenin cross section as they extend into the rib. The peripheral portions of the sides 1t) and 11 are cut away as at 10a, 1Gb and 11a and 11b. Secondary slots or channels 14 and 15 are formed in the faces of the rib normal to the double channeled faces 10 and 11. Grooves 14 and 15 preferably extend the length of the rib as do the primary channels 12 and 13. A plurality of holes 16 threaded internally may be formed into or through the bottom walls of channels 12 and 13.

The tapered featheredge construction will be iirst described. The featheredge comprises an elongate hollow tube member having a pair of elongate opposed rectangular sides 17 and 18. Sides 17 and 1S are joined together at one edge 19 thereof, while the other ends of the sides 17 and 18 are tapered away therefrom. A pair of iianges 20 and 21 are lixed to each side of the featheredge tube member adjacent the free edges thereof and extending inwardly thereof. -Flanges 2i? and 21 are each engageable in longitudinal sliding iit with one of the channels 12 and 13. Flanges 20 and 21 widen in cross section toward their free edges so as to be congruent with the channels 12 and 13. The inner edges of the flanges 20 and 21 are preferably rounded to avoid hazard to the user when the featheredge member is disengaged from the elongate rib. The thickness of the sides 17 and 18 is substantially equal tothe distance which the end edges 10a and 11a of the faces 10 and 11 are inwardly reduced so that the outervsurfaces 17 and 1 8 of the sides may be in line with the faces 1d and 11 while the rib faces 1de and 11a bear against the undersides of the sides 17 and 13.

In FIG. 4, two featheredgcs are shown engaging the elongate rib and thus the parts of the second featheredge are numbered the same as that of FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 but primed. The primed featheredge cooperates with the faces 11a and 11b in the same manner as the unprimed featheredge cooperates with the faces a and 11a. The free edges 17a and-18a of the sides 17 and 1S are fiattened to be in line with faces 10 and 11. Openings 22 and 23 (FIG. 2) are formed through the wall portions 17a and 18a to receive screws 24 and 25 which are recessed to be ush with the faces 17a and 18a.

The browning rod section comprises a pair of elongate opposed rectangular sides and 26 positioned substantially parallel to one another and having an end edge 27 at right angles thereto to join the sides 25 and Z6 at one end. Inwardly extending flanges 23 and 29 enlarge as they extend inwardly to fit the channels 12 and 13. FIG. 3 shows a tool formed of two browning rod sections engaging the intermediate rib, the extra browning rod section being primed in the numbering. The thickness of the browning rod walls 25 and 26, 25 and 26 is equal to the distance the faces 10a, 10b, 11a and 11b are depressed or cut away so the outer faces of walls 25, 26, 25' and 26 are in line with faces 10 and 11.

The means for sealing the open ends of the hollow tubular metal featheredge and browning rod portions comprise wood, plastic or metal plugs 30 and 31 (FIG. 1) which are configured in cross section to tightly fit either the cross section of the featheredge or the browning rod and also have flange portions 30a and 31a to tightly t into the slots 14 and 15. FIG. 2 shows, in cross section, one of the plugs 31 inserted in the browning rod section and slot 15. Plugs 30 and 31 may be formed to extend any desired distance into the hollow tubes but are preferably only a few inches long. Each end of each tube is sealed by a plug 30 or 31.

In operation, given a rib construction as shown in the drawings, one of three modifications of the tool may be assembled by sliding the hollow tube sections onto the rib engaging channels 12 and 13. FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 show a tool having a single featheredge and a single browning rod assembled. FIG. 3 shows a double browning rod and FIG. 4 a double featheredge. As one or more of the component tube portions wears, is distorted, damaged or is desired to be replaced, the screws 23 and 24 may be backed off, the tube component slid out of the channels 12 and 13 and a new tube component slid on. The screw lock is optional, as the sliding tit of the various members, especially with the friction tit of the sealing end plugs, is normally sufficient to hold the pieces relative one another against any but a relatively large pressure applied to one end of one of the tube portions. As the faces of the intermediate rib portions are in line with the faces of the tube portions, the wear to the rib is negligible and, thus, one rib will serve to rigidify, strengthen and support many tube sections as they are used up in the process of work.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A plasterers tool comprising, in combination, a relatively rigid elongated rib substantially rectangular in transverse cross-sectional form, a pair of channels formed in each of two opposed sides thereof spaced from one another in said sides and extending longitudinally of the rib, the channels of greater width adjacent their bases than adjacent their outward portions in transverse cross section, a pair of hollow, elongate tube members each having a pair of elongate, opposed, substantially rectangular sides, the sides of each said member connected with one another at one edge and free at the other, a flange connected adjacent each free edge of each said side extending inwardly of said member, each said flange in transverse cross section formed to slidably t in and positively engage one of said channels, the sides of at least one of the tube members being parallel with an edge member extending substantially normal to said tube sides joining the edges of said sides not engaged with said rib, and the portion o-f the rib between the channels in each opposed side thereof raised so as to be ush with the tube member side faces when the latter are engaged with the rib.

2. A plasterers tool comprising, in combination, a relatively rigid elongate rib substantially rectangular in transverse cross-sectional form, a pair of channels formed in each of two opposed sides thereof spaced from one another in said sides and extending longitudinally of the rib, the channels of greater width adjacent their bases than adjacent their outward portions in transverse cross section, a pair of hollow, elongate tube members each having a pair of elongate, opposed, substantially rectangular sides, the sides of each said member connected with one another at one edge and free at the others, a flange connected adjacent each free edge of each said side extending inwardly of said member, each said flange in transverse cross section formed to slidably fit in and positively engage one of said channels, and secondary channels formed in the faces of the rib normal to the channel faces.

3. A tool as in claim 2 including means for sealing the ends of the tubes, said sealing means comprising removable plugs in the ends thereof, said plugs sealingly received in the ends of the hollow tube members and the secondary channels in said rib.

4. A plasterers tool comprising, in combination, a relatively rigid elongate rib substantially rectangular in transverse cross-sectional form, a pair of channels formed in each of two opposed sides thereof spaced from one another in said sides and extending longitudinally of the rib, the channels of greater width adjacent their bases than adjacent their outward portions in transverse cross section, a pair of hollow, elongate tube members each having a pair of elongate, opposed, substantially rectangular sides, the sides of each said member connected with one another at one edge and free at the other, a flange connected adjacent each free edge of each said side extending inwardly of said member, each said ange in transverse cross section formed to slidably iit in and positively engage one of said channels, and the portion of the rib between the channels in each opposed side thereof raised so as to be flush with the tube member side faces when the latter are engaged with the rib.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 92,034 Frey et al June 29, 1869 1,541,373 Micek June 5, 1925 1,807,347 Schweigert May 26, 1931 2,217,369 Jacobsen et al Oct. 8, 1940 2,578,163 Whalen Dec. 1l, 1951 2,586,472 McKown Feb. 19, 1952 2,608,852 Whalen Sept. 2, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 193,042 Germany Dec. 10, 1907 504,083 Great Britain Apr. 19, 1939 

